Glasses and Gears
by VivaJayne
Summary: Louis is shy. Too shy, decidedly. He spends his days working at his desk and turning down invitations from his roommate. But perhaps worst of all, Louis can't bring himself to confess to the woman he loves, and now she's found someone else. What happens when said someone else shows up at his door, begging for Louis's help? One-shot. LouisxTina


**Hello everyone! Welcome to one of my many Harvest Moon themed One-Shots!**

 **My goal is to eventually have a fic for every bachelor that I've married (at least my favourite ones). This one features Louis, from Harvest Moon: Magical Melody**

 **On with the show!**

 _Glasses and Gears_

"Louis! I'm leaving for the day!"

A sharp pain burst across the back of Louis's head as he jumped from his chair with a dreadful start. Ann's voice rang resoundingly loud through the empty tool shop, scaring him into smacking his head of shaggy black hair against his work light. With a quiet groan, Louis ran his fingers gingerly over the blossoming bump.

"Are you still working?" Ann's sunny smile appeared in the doorway, hidden only slightly behind a stack of materials balanced precariously in her arms. Her bright orange hair shimmered in the light, reminding him of a crystalized carrot.

"Yeah," Louis mumbled, pushing his glasses up his nose only for them to slip down again. He hated feeling the nose piece against his skin, but he couldn't afford to buy new frames. Ann blew a puff of air into her bangs.

"You need to get out more," she sighed, shifting her heavy load to a more comfortable position. "Why don't you come with me to the Moonlight? I promised Tina I would show her some of my new inventions. I'm sure she wouldn't mind if you joined us."

Louis tensed, in much the same way he always did, at the mention of the pig-tailed farmer.

"No, that's ok." Never moving his gaze from the work in front of him, Louis waved Ann out of the room as boldly as he dared. He didn't want her to argue today; he didn't think he had the energy.

Luckily, Ann shared his sentiment. She shrugged absently, barely sparing him a second thought as she slammed the front door behind her.

Louis waited for the lock to turn before releasing his breath. With a weary sigh, he sank back into his chair and squeezed his eyes shut.

He liked Ann, really, he did, but the fiery redhead was too much for him to handle sometimes. Louis liked peace and quiet, and Ann's constant bubbly energy drained him faster than he was able to admit. The amateur inventor wasn't satisfied with his studious lifestyle, and often poked and prodded him when she was bored. Especially since Basil returned to Flower Bud.

Louis frowned. Basil was nice, incredibly nice, if a bit of a ham, but Louis couldn't bring himself to like him. It wasn't that Basil had ever done anything to him, quite the opposite in fact, but there was something about the plant researcher that really got underneath Louis's skin. Ann claimed that Louis was jealous of Basil's extroverted personality, but that wasn't quite it. He was jealous, sure, but it had nothing to do with Basil's character.

"Tiiiiiiiina!"

Louis flinched again, Ann's shrill cry drifting in through the open window. He shouldn't look, really he shouldn't, but Louis couldn't help himself. With a little wiggling, he was sitting tall enough in the chair to glimpse outside.

Ann was there, waving emphatically to someone he couldn't see yet. Louis's heart pounded forcefully in his chest as he dragged his vision to the brown-haired, pink-clad girl skipping down the town path.

Tina.

Louis felt his cheeks flush, embarrassing him even though he was completely alone. With a quiet groan he fell back onto his work bench, willing his blush away through sheer focus.

When had it gotten this bad?

Louis had always thought Tina was cute, from the first moment he'd laid eyes on her at the Fireworks Festival two years ago. Here he was, a complete and utter stranger, and she'd bounded up to him with that now familiar sparkle in her eye without a moment's hesitation.

Louis could never do something like that.

Even now he had trouble looking Tina in the eye- if he could manage to look at her at all. When he did muster the bravery, her tight jean shorts and _barely_ transparent white shirt caught his attention far too often, and Louis hated that he knew every dimple on her shapely legs, every freckle on her cheeks.

It wasn't just her figure, of course. Although she was certainly adorable, Louis fell in love with her personality first. Tina was one of the nicest people Louis had ever met, and she was the only person that Louis didn't mind being around all the time. He was still painfully shy around her even after knowing her for so long, but she didn't seem to care. She would talk, or work, or laugh away without any prompting from him, and just her presence was comforting to him.

"Gah!" Louis shook his head in dismay, knocking his glasses loose again. To his knowledge, no one knew about his feelings for Tina. It was a well-kept secret that he intended to maintain for as long as he needed to; it was particularly important now that Tina and Basil were dating.

A sour taste overtook Louis's mouth. Tina and Basil weren't _officially_ dating, but ever since the botanist had come to town the pair had been spending a copious amount of time together. It hurt Louis to think about, but it was no one's fault other than his own. He'd been too scared to tell Tina how he felt, and now she'd found someone else. It was only natural.

Louis's eyes fell on his shelf of personal belongings, filled with things he'd received since arriving in Flower Bud. With a pang he remembered ( _pfft, 'remembered'. As if he'd ever forgotten_ ) that most of those items had come from Tina herself, after she discovered his love of geology.

Another shout from outside prompted him to stand and pull the window closed. It was late Fall in Flower Bud, and with a begrudging spark of hope Louis realised that Basil would be leaving soon. He felt immediately guilty, thinking of the loneliness that Tina would undoubtedly experience. No matter how much he hated that she was with Basil, he could never wish her sadness. He didn't have it in his heart to do so; he simply cared about her too much.

Louis walked tentatively over to his crowded shelf. It was piled high with rocks, stones, and gems, all a precious memory in their own right. Tina was always coming across these in her work, and whenever she found one she thought Louis might like, she tucked it aside for him. They were some of the most thoughtful gifts he had ever received.

Louis couldn't stop the smile that sprang to his lips as he thought back to the first stone Tina had given him. It was in the centre of his shelf, polished to a shine that made it stand out amongst the others. Even glancing at the perfectly round moonstone brought a flutter to Louis's stomach, and before he knew it he was transported back to the middle of Summer, before things got… complicated.

He closed his eyes and let the images come.

.

 _Summer 15- Wednesday_

 _The Firefly Festival. Louis had heard of it before his arrival in Flower Bud, but he'd never had the chance to experience it for himself- he'd arrived too late in the season his first year in town, much to his dismay. The locals- well, Ann anyway, spoke about it like it was the greatest thing she'd ever seen._

 _But to be fair, Ann spoke about everything that way._

 _Even still, Louis was excited. He'd never seen a moonstone in person before, and even if he couldn't keep it, he was thrilled to get a peek. Maybe he should've brought his notebook to make some sketches- scratch that, he definitely should've! If he was quick, he could probably make it to the tool shop and back before anyone noticed he was gone-_

" _Louis!"_

" _Ah!"_

 _Louis yelped in surprise, jumping backwards in shock. Tina's face came into focus just inches from his nose, her smile warm and welcoming._

" _T-Tina!" Louis stuttered, twisting the hem of his button-down between his palms. He could already feel his cheeks begin to burn from how close she was standing._

" _Gotcha again, Louis!" Tina giggled, leaning away to give him some much-needed space. Louis cleared his throat as the blush spread from his cheeks to his neck. "You should pay more attention to what's going on around you, you know."_

 _Louis nodded mutely, not trusting his own voice. Tina paid him no mind, turning in a quick circle to survey the beach. She was wearing a long-sleeved shirt today, and full-length jeans. Her hair was still in pigtails, and she'd fastened her bright red bandana to her wrist for a change. Louis pulled his eyes away, staring firmly at the ground. She looked beautiful, as she always did._

" _I didn't miss anything, did I?" Tina asked, glancing back at Louis. He shook his head, hating the churning of his stomach. He was always shy, with everyone, but with Tina it was ten times worse. He didn't understand why she bothered to spend any time with him at all._

" _No," he mumbled, rocking back on his heels._

" _Good!" Tina grinned, reaching into her bag. "Looks like Theodore isn't quite ready yet, so I'll give this to you now."_

 _Louis looked up in surprise as she rustled through her bag, producing a large, round lump wrapped in brown paper. She brushed some dust off of it, closed her bag, and extended the wrapped gift to Louis. He blinked at her, unsure what to do next._

" _Well take it," Tina laughed, oblivious to his shock. She'd never given him a gift before- come to think of it, no one in Flower Bud had given him anything since he'd arrived. Louis wasn't sure what to make of the offering, but he held out his palms obediently as Tina shot him a look._

" _I found it yesterday in the mine," she explained, not bothering to wait for Louis to open it on his own. She reached out and pulled the paper back, brushing her fingers against Louis's in the process. He felt a jolt of electricity spark across his skin, and then it was gone again. "I don't know if you have one already; if you do I can just ship it out tomorrow."_

" _Huh?" Louis blanked, slowly processing her words before actually looking at what he was holding. He blinked behind his oversized glasses, staring until Tina nodded again to the present._

 _Nestled snugly in his hands, weighing far heavier on his wrists than he'd initially realised, was a perfectly round, perfectly white, moonstone._

 _Louis gawked in awe. The stone was more striking than anything he'd ever seen, and it absolutely glistened in the evening light. If he looked closely and squinted, he thought he could see a marbled centre, with crystalline speckles suspended in clear gem. It was fascinating, and for a moment he forgot where he was._

" _Amazing," he breathed, holding the stone up to the light. "I've never seen anything like it!"_

" _I'm glad you like it!" Tina chirped, bouncing in place. Louis suddenly remembered her presence, squeaking in embarrassment at his blatant wonder._

" _I'm sorry-! I mean- thank you!" He fumbled, biting his tongue in his haste. Pain shot through his mouth, but he did his best to force a shy smile. "You didn't need to do this for me," he whispered._

" _Nonsense," Tina shrugged, tapping the stone lightly with her nail. "I had to find one for the festival anyway, and this one was right next to the one I submitted. Besides," she winked, waggling her finger teasingly, "now you have something to remind you of me!"_

" _Wha-!" Louis worked his mouth, sputtering in an attempt to find something to say to that. His ears were pink now, and if Tina noticed then she only laughed at him._

" _You're so cute," she giggled, interrupted by Theodore's sudden throat clearing. "I think it's about to start! Come on!"_

 _Before Louis could react, Tina's slender fingers wrapped around his wrist and gave a gentle tug. He fumbled with the moonstone, securing it safely in his grasp just as the farmer began to move, pulling him towards the centre of the beach._

 _Tina's hand was warm where it touched his skin, sending chills through his entire body. Louis had never touched her before, in any way, and the sensation was almost too much for him. He was blushing from his ears to his toes, and he prayed that it was dark enough to cover his embarrassment from nosey onlookers._

 _As Theodore gave his speech, Louis watched the villagers. This wasn't necessarily a happy festival, but there was a palpable energy simmering underneath the surface of the crowd. For all Louis knew, that could be entirely attributed to Tina._

 _She practically vibrated next to him, her shoulder bumping lightly against his. He tried not to focus on it too much, but the gentle, periodic touch made his heart flutter. Louis was so intensely concentrated on keeping his butterflies in check that it wasn't until he felt another soft pull on his wrist that he realised Tina was still holding his hand._

 _Quelling his blush was impossible now. His entire face darkened to a deep crimson, making him sweat under his loose tie. Tina again paid no attention to his awkward discomfort, dragging him behind her as she made her way to the shore._

" _You can throw one in, Louis." Tina told him, pointing to the flower that she'd supplied. "I did this last year, and you haven't had a chance yet."_

 _Louis fidgeted, digging his heels into the sand. He didn't want to take the opportunity away from Tina, but he was interested. Being as introverted as he was, Louis didn't participate in many things._

" _N-no, that's okay," he smiled, his heart sinking even as he spoke the words. "It's your flower, you should get to release it."_

 _There, he'd done it. Put himself last as he always did-_

 _The bright pink flower was suddenly thrust into his hands, making him jump. Louis blinked down at the flower, and then back up again at Tina's angry pout._

" _I insist," she huffed, steering him by the elbow. She stopped when he was facing the waves, sputtering nervously about how unnecessary this all was._

" _Really- Tina- I can't just-" Louis began to panic, shaking his head emphatically. Finally, Tina's features relaxed into an endearing smile._

" _Okay, fine. How about we do it together?"_

" _T-t-t-together?!" Louis gasped, his hesitation left unacknowledged as Tina's hands appeared next to his on the flower. Not trusting himself to speak again, Louis clamped his mouth shut and let Tina guide his hands to the water._

 _As the flower floated gracefully away, Louis felt happy. He'd done it- with some prodding, to be fair- but he'd done it. He'd participated in his first Firefly Festival. The sea lit up in a backdrop of pinkish lights, illuminating the waves and the inky blackness below them. It was soothing, in the oddest sense, and Louis barely took note that everyone else had left._

 _Everyone else except Tina, that is._

" _It's kind of lonely, huh?" She said softly, her eyes captured by the sea. Louis glanced over at her, the lights and the stars sparkling on her skin. His cheeks pinked again._

" _Lonely?" He repeated quietly, not sure if he should say anything at all. Tina looked almost sad, her eyes on the ocean but her vision far, far away._

" _A little," she nodded, a faint smile gracing her lips. "I used to spend a lot of time by myself when I first moved here. Especially during festivals. This one always seemed a little sad to me."_

 _Louis said nothing, letting her words hang in the clear air between them._

" _Sometimes I worry about it," Tina continued, unperturbed by Louis's silence. She knew he was listening. "About being lonely, I mean. It's my least favourite feeling in the whole world. I'd do anything never to feel lonely again."_

 _The urge to promise her that he'd never let her be alone nearly overwhelmed Louis, so quickly and suddenly that he made a little squeak in his throat. Tina looked over, her eyebrow quirked in curiosity._

" _Hm?" She prompted, turning to face him properly. Now Louis was really sweating, his suspenders hiding hot trails of sticky skin down his torso._

" _Um-I-" Louis took a breath, trying to formulate words- any words at all. But his tongue felt thick and heavy in his mouth. He breathed in again, trying to sort out his own thoughts._

" _If you w-want…" Louis stuttered, his heart pounding a mile a minute. "When you feel lonely, you can come and work with me. I- um- I'm always at the shop and- and I wouldn't mind the company sometimes…"_

 _He sounded like an absolute idiot. Louis bit the inside of his cheek, hoping that would stop him from saying anything else and embarrassing him further, but to his surprise- and relief- Tina's hands found his elbow._

" _I'd love that," she smiled, hooking her arm through his and giving a pleasant squeeze. Louis nodded silently, his eyes fixed on the ground again._

" _Will you walk me home?" Tina asked, imploring him with that beautiful smile of hers. Louis nodded again, the inside of his cheek sore from chewing. He went home that night with Tina's moonstone tucked safely in his pocket- he wasn't sure what he was going to do with it yet, but he knew for a fact that he wasn't about to let her kindness collect dust somewhere in his workshop._

 _He was falling in love with her, after all._

.

The sun was setting outside the tool shop now, casting Louis's workspace in partial darkness.

He gave a good stretch, cracking his spine on the back of his little black chair as he did so. Louis could work at night, if he put his mind to it, but his preferred hours were definitely daylight. Besides, his thoughts were far too muddled now to go about anything serious.

A sigh escaped his chest. He'd been thinking about Tina far too much lately, he knew he had, but Louis just couldn't seem to reign in his thoughts. He saw her all the time, nearly every day, and just her presence was enough to drive him wild.

Now, with Basil in the picture, he had no idea what to do.

Just as the thought of bed came to him, Louis heard a dreadful pounding on the front door.

"Who could that be?" He wondered aloud, making his way quickly down the steps and across the main shop. The panicked knocking continued all the while, frightening him as he quickened his step.

"Louis!" The black-haired scientist blinked in surprise as he opened the door to a frantic Basil, his complexion paler than the snow he hated so much.

"Basil?" Louis balked, his eyebrows creasing. "What's the matter?"

"Louis, thank Goddess," Basil panted, clutching his chest. The botanist was wildly out of breath, his hat clutched tightly in his hands. "I need your help- it's Tina!"

Sudden fear gripped Louis's stomach, sending a wave of nausea through him.

"Tina?" He repeated, his voice weak. Basil nodded frantically.

"We were walking in the cave," he explained, gesturing wildly towards Jamie's farmland. Louis was too stricken to follow his gesture. "There was no warning, no crack in the floor or anything, it just- the floor just opened up- and Tina fell through."

"Tina fell?" Louis's heart had all but stopped, his whole body tensed. Basil nodded, his normally cheerful face looking sickly.

"I can't reach her," he continued, an expression of regret crossing his features. "You know those caves almost as well as she does. Louis, _please_ , help me-!"

Louis had his jacket on before Basil had finished speaking. Tina was in trouble, and that's all that mattered to him.

"Show me where."

.

The cave was thick with darkness, permeating the air as Louis followed Basil through the tunnels, led by a thin cone of light emanating from Basil's lantern.

His legs were stiff, his movements wobbly, but he barely felt it. Fear had gripped him so wholly that his body was nearly weightless, only able to move because his mind willed it.

"She called out to me after the rocks settled," Basil explained, his voice cracking. That was the third time he'd said that to Louis, as if reaffirming that he hadn't abandoned Tina to her doom. Louis nodded again, his heart pumping cold blood through his veins.

The rounded another corner, and then Basil brought up solid.

"There," he gestured, his open palm leading Louis to a ragged hole in the floor, just wide enough for a person to tumble through.

"Tina!" Basil shouted, cupping his hands over his mouth. For a breathless second no reply came, and Louis felt bile bubble in the back of his throat, and then they heard a muffled cry from somewhere below them.

"Tina!" Louis yelled, hoarse words scratching his throat on the way out, "it's Louis! I'm coming down to get you, okay? Stay put!"

"You're going to need help pulling her out of there," Basil muttered, watching as Louis knelt next to the hole and prepared to lower himself in. There was a narrow shelf about a meter below the floor, just wide enough for Louis to balance on. If he could get himself to the level below them, he could pick his way to Tina through the downward sloping tunnels. "Once you're safely in there, I'll go get Joe and Kurt. They'll have some rope or something."

Louis nodded, pushing up the sleeves of his jacket. The cold seeped through the fabric like it wasn't there at all, and he regretted his lack of foresight.

The edge was precarious, and more than once he knocked several stones loose, but for as studious and athletically challenged as Louis could be, he knew these caves well. Rocks were familiar to him, and traversing them had become second nature. With some practised wiggling, Louis felt the tips of his toes touch solid stone.

"I'm down," he announced to Basil, who nodded and turned to leave.

"I'll put this here," he said, dropping his lantern next to the hole. It cast a shallow light, but it would help. Louis thanked him, barely listening as he disappeared into the depths of Moonlight Mine.

There was a brief moment of weightlessness as Louis let go of the ledge, catching himself on the uneven floor below. He couldn't tell if his heart was beating so quickly from the fall, or the uncertainty he faced before him.

Tina wasn't stupid. He reminded himself of that as he made his way down the winding spiral of caves to where he thought she might be. Louis had spent many working days following Tina around the mine, picking through some of her findings, making notes, and drawing detailed maps so he could return on his own. Tina was always confident and sure, picking her way through the dark as though she called the caves home.

Louis stumbled on a misplaced rock, catching his fall on the rock wall to his right. Athletic Louis was certainly not, but his fear and panic refused to let him slow. Tina was here, somewhere, and she needed help.

Another corner, another step away from Basil's lantern. Louis should've taken it with him, he realised with a curse, but it was far too late now. He couldn't turn back, not yet. Not without Tina.

It was worrying him that he hadn't found her yet. The drop from the edge of the hole didn't seem very far- maybe Louis had taken a wrong turn? He was almost sure he hadn't. But he still hadn't caught even a glimpse of the energetic farmer, and the temperature was dropping fast. Louis coughed, picking up speed to dissuade himself from turning around. Another bend, another slope, a familiar rock outcropping, everything was as it should be and still he couldn't find any signs of-

"Tina!"

The faint pink of Tina's vest came into view just as the last of Basil's light disappeared behind him. Louis ran the rest of the way to her, breathing hard, heart slamming against his ribs. He wasn't used to running very much and his lungs were screaming at him, but that hardly mattered now.

Tina was on the ground, only a few feet from where it looked like she'd landed. She was scraped and bruised, but otherwise she looked to be in one piece. Her back rested on the wall of the cave behind her, her backpack shoved against her spine for some semblance of comfort.

"Louis?" She gasped, spinning to face him as he sprinted to her. Loose rocks drove themselves further into her hip and she had to resist a wince. "What on earth are you doing here? It's dangerous!"

Louis almost laughed, bitter amusement rushing through him. She was the one stranded in a cave, with the sun about to set, and she was worried for him. As ridiculous as it was, it was so perfectly Tina.

"Are you alright?" He panted, kneeling beside her. She had her leg straight in front of her, her ankle propped on a wayward stone- a telltale sign that she was in pain. Louis immediately began examining it, gingerly trailing his fingers over Tina's icy skin as his chest constricted.

"You're freezing," he murmured before she could answer, shrugging out of his thin jacket. It wouldn't do much, but it might ease some of her shivering, and if it would help at all then he would gladly give up the garment. Louis placed the jacket delicately over her torso, barely paying attention to the protests coming from Tina.

"Louis, I'm fine, really!" She insisted, her fingers wrapping firmly around his wrist. Finally, Louis stopped his fluttering, bringing his gaze to her face.

She was dirt smeared, red with cold, and she looked more than a little tired, but Tina was right. She was fine, she was safe, and at last the bulk of Louis's fear began to ebb.

"You scared me," he whispered, squeezing her hand in return. Tina smiled guiltily, adjusting his jacket so that it covered her legs.

"I'm sorry," she said sincerely, shifting to better face him. Louis protested, but Tina waved him off. "It's not broken," she promised, gesturing to her leg. "I think I just twisted the ankle. I'll be fine with a bit of rest."

"Basil went to get more help," Louis explained, shuffling down to look at Tina's ankle anyway. After only a quick inspection, he was sure she was right about the break. It didn't even look sprained, though he had no doubt that it hurt. "Joe and Kurt should be coming back with him."

"There's really no need to bother them!" Tina groaned, chewing her bottom lip. "I can't stand on my own, but if you help me up I can make it the rest of the way-"

"Stop it," Louis chided, frowning at her. "Let someone help you for once. Let _me_ help you."

Tina blinked in surprise. Louis was never the forceful type, but she found herself not wanting to argue with his tone. He was meeting her gaze directly, something he rarely ever did, and Tina just couldn't bring herself to deny him. Instead, she sighed in resignation.

Louis took her sigh as an agreement, and leaned out over the rocky edge to peer up.

"Is Basil back?" Tina asked, following his gaze. Louis shook his head, settling back on the rock near Tina. He wouldn't dare get too close to her, but the space they were trapped in was much smaller than he'd originally thought.

"He'll be back soon, I'm sure," Louis mumbled, looking around the cave. He'd been on this level a few times before, and it was always his least favourite. The rock was unstable all around; it was no wonder that Tina had fallen. His relief at finding her safe and sound was tainted by the clear worry in her voice as she questioned him about Basil. "He's really worried about you."

"I wish he wasn't," Tina murmured quietly, shuffling closer to Louis. The shy inventor didn't notice until she was pressed up against him, startling him with the pressure. His reaction made her smile. "I didn't want him to go get anyone at all, but since he did I'm glad it was you."

"What?" Louis was so shocked that he spoke louder than he meant, his surprise echoing in the cave. Tina gave him an amused look as she rested her head against his shoulder. "Why are you happy he got me? I'm the least qualified to be of any help."

"You found me, didn't you?" Tina smiled, nuzzling her cheek in the crook of Louis's neck. She would never admit it to him, but she'd been afraid. Terrified, in fact, and not just for herself. Her stomach was twisting at the thought of her friends traversing the mine looking for her. What if someone had gotten hurt?

What if it was Louis?

Tina knew that Louis was shy. She knew that in all likelihood he was screaming at her proximity, but she couldn't help herself. She was so relieved to see him, happy even, and her feelings for him came rushing over her like a tidal wave.

"I'm sorry for everything," she sighed, glancing up at him. "And thank you, for coming after me."

Louis swallowed hard.

Tina's small body was quaking against him, from the cold or from fear he couldn't tell. In a bold move that surprised even him, he slipped his arm carefully around her shoulders, cradling her in his embrace.

"Louis?" Tina squeaked, immediately regretting it. She was startled by his forwardness, and spoke without thinking. She felt his arm tense around her.

"I-I'm s-s-s-sorry!" Louis stumbled, beginning to retract his arm. "That was stupid- I thought you were cold- but I should've thought of Basil- and I-"

Tina latched onto his torso, stopping him from pulling away from her.

"No!" She exclaimed, her cheeks flushing in embarrassment. "I didn't mean- I mean I didn't want you to pull away! Wait-" She frowned suddenly, quirking her brow at the paralysed Louis. "What does Basil have to do with anything?"

Louis blanched. He was trapped in Tina's grip, unable to remove himself, and his heartbeat was deafening. Still, Tina asked a question and was demanding an answer.

"He probably wouldn't… um… well he wouldn't want me getting too close to you…" Louis clenched his fists, fighting to keep his voice at an octave loud enough for humans to hear. "You know, because he's your… boyfriend…?"

Tina blinked, her expression blank. Louis slowly brought his gaze up to meet hers, just as she burst into a fit of uncontrollable giggling.

"Basil isn't my boyfriend!" She chuckled, finally relaxing her hold on Louis. To her relief, he didn't pull away from her.

"He's… not?"

"Of course not!" Tina laughed. She knew that Louis had fallen victim to the same misconception as many of her friends, but his surprise was far sincerer than the others that she'd corrected. "Basil is head over heels for Nina; you didn't know that?"

No, as a matter of fact, he didn't. Louis contemplated for a moment what that could mean for him, if perhaps he hadn't missed his chance with Tina after all, and why they were talking about this in a cave. He was still lost in this thought when he felt a soft, warm pair of lips press against his cheek.

He was frozen in shock, even after Tina pulled away with a shy smile.

"Thank you for coming to rescue me," she pulled her lip between her teeth again, chewing gently. "I knew you would."

Louis didn't know how to respond to that. He stared at Tina, who'd gone back to resting against his shoulder, as his thoughts began to whirl wildly about his skull.

She'd never kissed him before. That was new. His skin tingled where her lips had been, a strange thumping in his chest and a twisting in his stomach. The silence seemed to stretch for ages, and Louis felt like he should say something- what, he wasn't entirely sure.

"Tina?"

Louis's voice startled even him, as he hadn't been planning to actually say something. Nevertheless, Tina looked up with a quizzical glint in her eye.

"Um-" Louis felt the blush creeping up his neck. What was he doing? It was as if his tongue was on autopilot, spilling words before his brain had a chance to say no.

"I just wanted to tell you- um…" His stomach was full of butterflies, flittering wildly, making him feel sick. "Well it's…um…"

Tina stared at him expectantly, the steady drip of water echoing from somewhere beyond them.

"I…" Louis took a deep breath, summoning his courage for a final attempt at saying what he wanted to say.

"I really like you!"

His confession rang loudly around them, bouncing off the walls and coming back to smash tauntingly against his ears. Immediate regret flooded him- why the hell had he done that? What was he thinking? He just proclaimed his feelings for Tina in the middle of a dark, damp cave, as she sat huddling against him for warmth with an injured ankle! He was so stupid- so colossally stupid-

"I know."

Tina's smiling voice cut through his panic, catching Louis's attention with lightning speed. He whipped his head to look at her, only to find himself nose to nose with the farmer. His blush bloomed across his cheeks.

"You're not very subtle, Louis," Tina winked, her cheeks red with happiness. Louis could only stare, his stomach in his throat. "But that's okay. I really like you too."

She… what?

Before Louis could even begin to understand what she'd just said, Tina tilted her head just slightly, pressing her lips against his in a gentle kiss.

It was like a firework had gone off in Louis's mind. All of his other thoughts stopped completely, all feeling left his body except for the warmth coming from Tina's kiss. He was frozen, unsure what- if anything- he should do. Tina pulled away from him after only a brief moment, smiling shyly.

"Sorry," she apologised, the nerves seeping into her own voice. "I didn't mean to just kind of… um… do that."

Louis didn't respond, dumbstruck by what had just occurred.

"Oh gosh," Tina's heart faltered, uncertainty taking over her brain. "I shouldn't have done that, I didn't even think, I just sort of did it and- oh I'm so sorry Louis, I-"

Louis's lips found hers again, swallowing her panic in one fell swoop.

The kiss was hesitant, but determined, capturing her with its gentle warmth. Louis's arms tightened around her body, holding her close, as Tina relaxed into him.

Louis was petrified. He didn't know what he was doing, he didn't know how to kiss, but Tina had kissed him first and he wasn't about to screw it up. His hands found her waist, venturing forth with an experimental squeeze. Tina sighed happily, pushing her fingers through Louis's thick black hair.

His kiss was so sweet and sincere, just as she thought it would be.

When they parted, Louis was redder than he'd ever been. Tina giggled, brushing his bangs from his eyes with her nails.

"You're so cute," she smiled, sinking into his embrace once again. Louis couldn't summon any words, fearful that he'd say the wrong thing and mess up the perfect moment. Tina liked him. She really, truly liked him. And they'd kissed.

When Louis woke up this morning, this was the last thing he'd expected to happen.

The silence dragged on, but it was comfortable. Louis still wanted to say something, but he hadn't yet figured out what when he was saved the trouble altogether.

"Yo!"

Joe's voice echoed through the cave, accompanied by a bright yellow light.

"Did someone call for a rescue?"

 **The End.**

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